


The Missing Piece

by High King Fen (HighKingFen)



Category: The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Episode: s03e05 A Life in the Day, F/M, M/M, Mosaic, Multi, quentin is a sweetheart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:47:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23088016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HighKingFen/pseuds/High%20King%20Fen
Summary: Because a lifetime makes a beautiful montage on TV but an amazing opportunity for fanfic; this is a Mosaic fic! We explore how Queliot lives together, their time with Arielle and growing with Rupert. Feeling and smut included
Relationships: Arielle/Quentin Coldwater, Arielle/Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh, Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh, Quentin Coldwater/Margo Hanson/Eliot Waugh
Comments: 5
Kudos: 17





	1. Prologue

Magic was in the air. And Quentin couldn’t stop but feeling a little high in adrenaline because of it. This was better than sex. This was better than a cigarette after a stressful day. This was better than any high he had in his life. This was magic.

Walking next to Eliot, he couldn’t help to notice how his best friend’s shoulder wasn’t as tense as usual, how he had a smile on the corner of his lips while he was talking. How his finger was playing in the air, almost ready to cast at any moment. Those long and strong fingers always seemed to touch him when he had the chance. Not that he minded. 

‘’Q? Are you listening?’’ Eliot sighed. 

Quentin looked at him as he used his makeshift walking stick (alright it was just a branch) to propel himself. They have been walking for two hours and the talking woodpecker they met had said the cottage was in the direction they have been walking. But his anxiety started to raise and making him doubt if they had been fooled by the bird. 

‘’Sorry. ‘’ He said ‘’Was in my head. What’s up?’’  
‘’I was asking if you had your Fillory books? Maybe there is a clue about where the mosaic is in there.’’

Quentin anxiety rose as he realizes that not only he didn’t have his book. But he didn’t have his bag at all. It had been near him as he had pack his Fillory book and the Quest one. But then Margo sent bunnies and the clock had given them an opening and he rushed inside the clock to go save his friend. Without the bag. That was still waiting on the chair next to the clock

Stupid, stupid Quentin. 

‘’Hey, its alright’’ Eliot said waving his hands in the air like he was swatting a fly. ‘’The amount of time you read those books, I am pretty sure you can quote them by heart.’’  
‘’Memories have flaws, having the book is always better.’’  
‘’Are you fucking quoting Lipson to me right now?’’ Eliot burst out laughing. 

Quentin realizes he was and smile sheepishly. His academic training had sunk in more than he’d thought after all.

‘’When it comes to spellcasting or looking at the math I agree that reading a book is better than having your head explode. Knowledge about Fillory, I am not worried about it.’’  
‘’Of course, you aren’t’’  
‘’Q, it’s not the end of the world. Just… enjoy the moment for one minute before freaking out alright? We have magic, we have a brain. We got this. We just need to find our way to the mosaic.’’

Quentin nodded and wondered if Eliot was really that calm or he was playing it because he could feel the anxiety rising. Either way, he felt bad that his friend had to do that for his sake. 

After turning turning right to a fork road that was leading to ‘’the city’’ or ‘’farms’’, Eliot and Quentin met two men who had such boring unremarkable characteristic that they could be seen as NPC in a video game; filorian clothes, mid brown hair, looked like they worked in farms and in dirt. To complete the cliché, they gave them some food when they learned that they were heading for the mosaic. 

‘’May Ember’s strength guide your path! ‘’ One said waving them goodbye  
‘’Don’t forget that Umber’s always waiting for shadows!’’ The other said

Eliot and Quentin politely waved goodbye, smiling uncomfortably.

‘’What the fuck does that means?’’ Eliot said, still smiling at the fillorians.  
‘’I have no clues. You are the one who spent the most time here, you should know. ‘’ Quentin pointed out as they started walking again.  
‘’Touché. But court is rarely place for folks idiom. And using Ember’s and Umber’s name became kind of strange after… you know…’’  
‘’We killed them and destroyed all of magic?’’  
‘’Yeah. That.’’ 

Quentin felt the pit of his stomach becoming an endless void. Anxiety and guilt swallowed him whole as his brain was replaying the event that had lead to the Gods dying. It was his fault. All of it. Whatever Julia said. It was his fault. 

Thank the -dead- gods they finally arrived at what looked like the mosaic. There was a shabby shack with a dead garden and a large square where a men was puting tiles of different colors. 

As if Quentin’s mind was not already spinning, now he was starting to panic to the idea that they might have to work with someone else. Or convince him to leave. What if he had found the key already? Shit shit shit shit shit. 

‘’It's all yours if you don't mind wasting your gods-damn time.’’ grumbled the stranger, throwing a tile on the floor and leaving. 

All of that before Eliot and Quentin had even approach or said hello. Quentin’s heart rate calmed down a bit. 

‘’ Well, ‘’ Eliot said, looking as clueless as him. ‘’ready to do this grand mosaic quest?’’  
‘’Better start now, who knows how long this will take.’’  
‘’ At least we have dinner.’’ 

A loaf of bread and three plums was hardly dinner, but Quentin could be picky. He’d read enough book to know that food is never important or interesting during quest. The heroes have much more to do. 

You know, like discovering the beauty of all life.


	2. Fillory and Backward (in time)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The return of King shit. Quentin blush.

The first month of living in The Cottage was miserable. Between the house that was infested, the bed that was hard as a rock and as dirty, the rarity of food, the outside bathroom necessities and the fact that the mosaic quest was going nowhere, a lot was making Eliot wanting to drink himself to oblivion.

The only reason he was simply casually drunk and not totally useless and wasted was standing in front of him— Quentin motherfucking Coldwater. Of anyone in the quest, Eliot could not have been happier to be stuck in time with. But it was becoming clear that he could not merely be pretending everything would be alright because it looked like he didn't care, which gave the already anxious boy even more anxieties. But also he could not start to open up more than he already had to the boy. He had Margo for that. And Quentin didn't have the nerve or state of mind to handle anything else right now.

To be honest with himself, Eliot was starting to get over Mike. The heartbreak had been gone for a long time. But he was still deeply hurt by the fact that he had open himself up to someone, he had let himself fall in love for the first time since he was in Brakebills, and it had been only a lie. Not only Mike didn't know him, but Eliot would never know how much the dating and the love were him and what was The Beast acting for Mike. The idea that he had unthinkingly fucked and date The Beast made him drink a lot. But he needed it less every day.

_You are dating Mike to forget your crush on Quentin, Margo had said when he comes back, just bang the fuck out of him, and it will be fine. You don't need to replace him by a ginger backstreet boys in the meantime._

Oh, Margo. How much he missed her. Even she was a jealous, possessive perfect little brat. What she didn't understand is that Eliot knew that if he had not made a move on Quentin before Brakebill South, he would never have the chance again. Because if this hellhole of a place had lead to Margo and him bond more than ever, and let's be real, fuck like bunnies just to forget the misery, Quentin would find someone to cling on and be saved from the mental torment. That or he would not survive it, but Eliot had more hope in the first option. Apparently, there had not been a suicide in Brakebills South since 1994.

And of course, it had to be Alice Quinn. She was a nerd boner in a skirt. Add a tragic backstory, and she was everything Quentin needed. He only needed the isolation of the north pole to make a move on her finally. Or, more likely, she made a move on him.

Because since the first day, Eliot had dropped hints at Quentin that he would not mind sitting on his dick and yet, the nerd had not said or did anything about it. Margo said it was because he was too oblivious. Eliot thought it was more than Quentin had a strong bisexual vibe but only had the gay ones in porn or dream. Anyway, Quentin never acts on it.

And now he was in the same situation as Alice. With a single Quentin, trying to survive what life at thrown at them, and yet there was one specific and significant difference; Eliot would never dare to make a move on Quentin. And there was no way the reverse would happen.

The threesome that had almost made him lost him had been a warning about that. Don't step that line because you can lose everything. He said he didn't remember any of it, but oh, he did. He remembers hearing Margo's gasp as Quentin was pinching her nipple. He remembers waking up half-drunk with a boner and Margo removing his shirt. He remembered Quentin's lips on his and how possessive his hands had been. He remembers Quentin's eyes over his lashes had he started to give him a blow job no straight guy could have done ( _Already have done that Coldwater. Margo had said, Hot. I want to know who and when later._ ) Eliot remembers emptying himself inside Quentin's mouth and watches him swallow before he went to ravage Margo with his tongue and his dick. God, how many times he had masturbated to that memory since?

Way too much. And right now, he was stuck with him, and they were sleeping in the same place, and it was impossible to masturbate, and fuck was Eliot so horny.

But he almost had lost Quentin because of his desire. And he could not afford to lose him again. Not here, not now, not ever.

Eliot pretended he needed to poop and left Quentin working on the mosaic alone. He hid in the forest and jerked off to the memory. Hating himself for being like a 15 years old horny boy when he was near Quentin.

Anyway, the first month sucked. The second too. But now people had come a few times to see if they were still at it and words of mouth had made travelling merchants come to their house.

Thank god for the nest of Golden Dung Beattle that was infesting part of the living room, they had something to pay with. When they had magically clean the thing. When merchants told each other that they had money, more came, and finally, they had enough food for three meals a day -though quite sad meals.

That's how they met Cloud and Nieve, Arielle and Lunk, Micah and Sandy. All fine and kind people who made their lifeless intolerable.

In the third month, Lunk asked them if they went to the village to get other food than what they did. Quentin didn't want to admit they had no clue where they were. Most likely, he was used to be the person who knows Fillory and for once he had to admit defeat. So Eliot took over, placing a calming hand on his friend's shoulder as he saw them tense.

"Isn't the village too far?" He asked, having learn at court how not to give away his ignorance and yet getting answer. "We are not from here, and when we ask, we were told not to bother."

"Well, it is true it's not worth it if you stay a day or two here." Arielle laughed. "But you have been here for three months now; I don't know how you managed to stay that long without going."  
"We barely manage." Grumbled Quentin, but Eliot was sure Arielle didn't hear him as she was putting their weekly purchase on the unstable wooden table on the side of The Cottage.  
"Well, we are all going tomorrow. With Red Monkey month coming up, we have to get ready to be in the field long hours. If you want to come, Nieve takes her pa's cart, and we go there like that. It's less long than on foot, and we have more time to drink and talk. "

Arielle smacked Lunk's arm with a scornful face, probably reminding him he should not talk that way to their customer. But his big muscle or charming smile won her over, and she let him kiss him gratefully. Ah, young straight love. So gross to see yet so romantic.

"Red Monkey month?" Quentin asked and both merchant laughed, making Quentin blush. Maybe they didn't notice, but he was embarrassed now. Right. Eliot needed to be the diplomat here.

"I mean sure. Why not. I am sick of eating the same thing, and I am probably sure we can find things that could improve this place."  
"Even sheets as curtain would improve the place." Said Quentin.

This time the four of them laughed.

So Arielle and Lunk gave them a time to be ready and told them the cart would pick them up. Then the couple left hand in hand, walking toward another house to continue to sell their peaches and plums.

"Red Monkey month?" Quentin asked, looking at Eliot.

Which was a compliment because Quentin never asked a question about Fillory to anyone but Julia.

"An agricultural stuff. Raife and Abigail were handling it when it happen in Whitespire. I had other shit to focus on."  
"Like actual shit. "  
"Oh, don't remind me that horrific entrance I did in Fillory's history."

The time Eliot told Fillorians about fertilizer was not the most glorious thing to be written in the history books. And yet, he did save everyone from starving thank you very much.

It was nice to see Quentin smile right now. He had not for a few weeks now.

"You are okay to leave the mosaic for a couple of hours, right?" Eliot asked, wanting to be sure he will not have to handle another anxiety induce panic attack later on.  
"I mean… we need stuff. "Quentin said. "And if we go to a city, I am sure I will be able to pin us on a map. Knowing where we are would ease my stupid brain."  
"Good. "Eliot said, proud of Quentin to at least acknowledge that part of his anxiety was making him nervous about something that didn't matter. They could be on the fucking moon for all Eliot cared. The fact is that they were stuck doing the puzzle until they found a solution, wherever they were. "Do you want to go on shit duty or tile duty."  
"Honestly, none of them sound appealing. But since you know how to handle shit in Fillory, I will leave you the honor."

Eliot flipped him off, Quentin laugh. The First laugh in two in a half month. Not that he was counting. Finding poop full of gold was not Eliot's favorite task in the world. But at least he was doing it knowing that he might find something to make their life easier tomorrow. And the idea of drinking in a cart and pretending to listen to people was a more exciting future to foresee than another fucking day making another fucking mosaic pattern.

And maybe he will manage to escape long enough to have some me-time that was not hidden in a bush.


	3. The City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quentin buy a Fillorian Novel, Eliot bends metal

Quentin didn't want to go to the market. He didn't want to leave The Cottage and then stop to make this dump a livable place. Because making it cozy meant them accepting that they will stay here for a long time. But when Eliot had asked if it was alright, Quentin had seen the dark ring under his best friend's eyes that had nothing to do with smudge eyeliner and everything to do with a night of insomnia or half-sleep on a shared bed that is as hard as a rock. 

So Quentin was going to the market. Nieve arrived as he was finishing his breakfast - a plum from Arielle's delivery yesterday. The dark-skinned girl waved at them with a wide smile. 

"Cloud isn't coming?" Eliot said after a warming hug. 

Quentin let him do the talking, that way he could settle in silence in the corner of the empty cart and go back to his worries. He was not in a mood to do small talk. Or to talk at all, in fact. 

"Got a couple of people catching the season's allergies!" She sigh, visibly disappointed. "He had to stay home to take care of 'em. "

Being the only healers that were not in the city, most farmers and travelling merchants were going to them for their issue. Eliot had a theory that they were not in the city because they were Lorians and that Fillorians never were the kindest with them. But Quentin didn't care. Try not do care at least. Didn't want to care. Caring meant potential friendship, which meant being sad when they will leave for Earth after this part of the quest. 

And maybe he will manage to escape long enough to have some me-time that was not hidden in a bush. They stopped to pick up Micah and Sandy, who were dairy and meat farmers. Then Arielle and Lunk at the peaches and plums farm. The small cart was now full, and they were ready to go to the city. Quentin happily didn't say a word for the hour it took to pick everyone up. 

Eliot was the best talker anyway. 

"I am sure Lunk and his brother could come to help," Arielle said to Eliot, who was talking about fixing The Cottage. "At least for the structural part. They are the best carpenter in Fillory."  
"I'd believe you if you were not so bias towards him." Eliot tease and Arielle laughed and pulled her tongue

.Quentin slightly smile. It felt nice to hear pure laughter. It has been a long time since he had heard any of it. Or even laughed himself. Lunk looked at Quentin and smiled too, wrapping his arm more possessively around Arielle's waist, which makes Quentin roll his eyes interiorly. Couldn't he see how smitten of him she was? 

"I thought you were into plums!" Eliot continued, blissfully distracting the muscular man.   
"Nah. My fam's in wood. I just help Ari when I am not on duty. And honestly, that's why we have a leave next month, to help farmers. So I'd rather be at her family than mine."

This lead Quentin to have more questions. As lovely and welcoming the other were, sometimes they talked like Eliot and Quentin should know every aspect of their life. It was a sign of old friendship. But they were new to them. And not friends. 

"Not on duty?" Quentin heard himself ask. Damn his curiosity. It was hard not to care when you learn more about people. He used to be good at not making friends. What happens?

The tall, black-haired boy in front of him that is what happened. Eliot had changed him in unexpected ways. And Quentin was realizing at this moment that he was not the same shy nerdy boy that he was three years ago. 

"Lunk is a Whitespire guard," answered Micah. "Comes here for a couple of days every month and have the whole harvest time off as his family is listed as a farm. We need lots of workers in the field during that time."  
"I am a conscript" Corrected Lunk in a humph. 

Arielle laughed and kissed his cheek. 

"So they pull your name out of a hat, and you serve for five years? "Teased Nieve with a smirk. "What is the big deal? The amount of gold you are getting for it is ridiculous, and they will give you a plot of land when it's over. I think it's a sweet gig you got!"  
"Yeah, Ari, you stroke lucky with this one." Sandy agreed. 

Lunk beamed and kissed his girlfriend, who answered happily. 

"I can't wait for the time to be over." Admit Arielle with a sigh, leaning into her boyfriends arm. "Then we will get married, and we can both have our own life! No more looking after my siblings."  
"Yeah, instead, you will look after your kids." Teased Sandy. Arielle blushed.   
"Hold on, your holy hooves, young lady!" Lunk laughed. "One thing at a time. We are not starting a family now."  
"Yeah, we said that we wanted to wait after getting married." Remembered Micah, eying Sandy's visibly and enormous belly. "The Gods had other plans."

Eliot snorted, which made Quentin smile a bit. Not only was he fully aware of Eliot's distaste for religion, but the idea that Ember and Umber were alive and caring of their citizen at the moment was so ridiculous. Part of him wanted to blurt out how he will kill them one day. Just to see the reaction on their faces. 

But that would break the rules he had with Eliot since they had started to interact with other people. 

One, no one should know they were from Earth. The last thing they needed was a petition to fill up the empty thrones right now. 

Two, no one should know they were magicians. People would either always come and bother them to do things, and the mosaic would lose being the prime focus. Plus rare were those with magic in Fillory. This would bring a question that would lead to breaking rule number one. 

Three, everything that happened in the future will not be told by any of them. Quentin knew a bit more of the Fillorian lore, but Eliot had seen it share of a historical event to happen in Fillory. The last thing they needed was a paradox where they stop themselves self doing something or other confusing time travel bullshit. 

Four, if asked, they need the key to save their friends and found in a book that the key might be the answer to what they needed. If they were asked what happen to their friend, explain that it was too sensitive for them to talk. Usually, people respect boundaries. Or don't care enough to pry deeper. And to be honest, thinking of their friends was becoming harder with every day past in Fillory. 

They arrived in the city and agreed to meet up in the main tavern for lunch and a ride home. There was no use to ask the name of the place; there was only one tavern in this place. 

The city was rather small yet charming. Those kinds of places on Earth would have a farmer's market on the weekend and pumpkin and apple picking during fall. It was barely a town, to be honest. Mostly a couple of shops and houses together where some people gather. 

"Rivertown. Original. "Eliot said, reading the map Arielle had drew for them when she learns they never went there. 

She had marked most of the shop and put little stars where the vendors were inclined to bargain, small x where they shouldn't even try and a heart near the bakery cause her brother owned it. 

"Right," Eliot said, beaming with a glow that had not been there for the past few weeks. "Where do you want to begin?"  
"I don't know," Quentin shrugged. "I don't care."  
"Come on!" Eliot said, grabbing him by the shoulder. "Don't be like that! No way, mopey Quentin will ruin this shopping trip." 

Quentin wasn't sure if he had been anything else but mopey, but sigh and let Eliot lead the day. He agreed they needed to clean the house and put an actual bed inside for rainier days. And that may be getting help to fix at least the roof wouldn't be a bad idea. Also clothes. They needed new ones. The one they arrived in was starting to get overused.   
By the end of the first hour, Quentin was a bit more excited about the idea of making the house a place to live. Them fixing it didn't mean they were moving in. It meant they were allowed to have a real night rest and stop smelling like teenagers who were still learning how to wash. 

Oh and shaving cream. He was starting to grow a beard and hated it. 

They found a shop where they were selling a bit of everything. There was a corner with books, so Eliot abandoned him there to continue to buy food and arrange deliveries without him skulking. Pulling his hair a little, Quentin tried to breathe and remind himself that Eliot, too, was stuck, and he was not helping him with keeping the moral. He should be better for his friend. When they got separated by the lack of magic, he had wished for just an hour to be with him. Now he had months. And yet, he found ways to complain. 

Feeling himself spiralling, Quentin decided to browse the small stacks of books in the shop. There were mostly dull things about wildlife flowers or different tricks to avoid insects. Then he found a romance novel. Worlds apart were written in golden letters and were the story of a maid in Whitespire who fell in love with the new High King, a fresh young magician from Earth. But not only their status made their love impossible, but the High King had to return on Earth where she could not follow him. Quentin chuckle amused to see that lousy romance novels were a thing in the multiverse. He read the first paragraph, and it was so terrible he felt he needed to get it just to get drunk and read it with Eliot.

When he shows that to Julia, she will scream of joy and punch him, only him - and in the distance forgotten past James - knew that Julia had a secret thing for pocket romance novels. She usually read them during finals, when she needed to empty her brain. 

God, he missed Julia. 

He and Eliot had their phone with them when they arrived in Fillory, but to ensure that the would not be broken and to avoid questions, they hid it when the Fillory and Further book Quentin had in his messenger bag at the time. When Eliot was sleeping, sometimes he would get his phone and scroll to pictures to see their friends. There was not a lot of them since before magic cell phone would not work in Brakebills. But it was enough to put a balm in the sadness inside him. Plus, he had a video where you could hear Julia's laughter. That was always the best. 

He didn't bargain for the price of the book because Arielle's map had told them the merchant was not fond of it, The men seemed impressed that Quentin paid in actual gold. 

"You're one of the mosaic boys,' aren't you?" He asks with a grin that revealed three teeth were missing.   
"Uh, yeah." Quentin said, grabbing his purchase.   
"Usually those who go there try to ask us free things saying they won't stay long or that we should be kind. The thing is, if we'd do it for every person who came, I'd be out of business. Every year there's a couple of folks tryin' to solve the puzzle. "  
"oh?" Quentin said, a bit surprised. He should not though, when they arrived a men had been trying to do the puzzle and gave up midday. "How long do they stay usually?"  
"Oh, depen's," The merchant said. "Some couple of days, other weeks. Half a year I think was the longest. Do you know how long you'd stay?"  
"Until we solve it!"  
"Ah!" exclaimed the men in a burst of belly-deep laughter. He was not laughing at Quentin per say. Mostly at his sincerity. "They all say that. Bah, I wish you well m'boy! Hope to see you around! Got books every couple of months. If you like that one, I can order the sequel, but tell me a couple weeks in advance; I make it come from Brass City."

Quentin nodded and thanked the merchant before putting the book in his messenger bag and leaving the shop. He saw Eliot talking with a fillorian in a shop not far from him. Before spiralling more, he decided to go see his friend and busy his mind. He needed to stop thinking that many before them had tried, and many before them had failed. 

\---- 

‘’Are you alright Quentin? You’d been quiet today’’

Quentin looked at Arielle who was giving him a smile that could make any men fall in love with her. No wonder Lunk got engaged with her, from the little he knew of her, Quentin knew that she was funny, perceptive and kind. 

‘’Uh? Oh yeah. No worry.’’ He said, tugging his hair behind his ear as a reflex. 

Everyone was finishing to pay the tavern bill for their lunch and getting ready to go in the cart. Quentin thought that petting the horses would give him some time alone without having to interact. Apparently Arielle had seen through his plan. 

‘’I have twelve sibling, six of them are still home. ‘’ Arielle said furrowing her brow. ‘’ I know when someone is hiding something.’’

Twelve sibling. Jesus Christ. Quentin was so happy to be an only child at the moment. 

‘’It’s nothing.’’ He repeated, but seeing Arielle face, he knew she would not take this as an answer. ‘’I just… Sometimes being around people take a lot of energy from me. It’s all. I just need a break of so much people.’’

Arielle face soften and her smile came back on her lips. 

‘’I get that. I mean, especially with Micah, Lunk and Eliot, those are big personalities. Sometimes they take the air out of the room.’’   
It was more than that. It was years of anxieties that was rising up the moment he had to be in a group. He hated having to pretend he wanted to have a large group of friends and liked social gathering. He thought the time he had to pretend had finally stopped when he found his friends in Brakebills. Well Eliot and Margo mostly adopted him from day one. 

‘’Yeah, something like that.’’ He finally answered. ‘’ And I just want to be home. Work on the mosaic.’’

There was something on the corner of Arielle smile that looked like pity. Like she knew it was a lost cause. After all, she must have seen a lot of people at the mosaic too. 

‘’I’ll give you space then. ‘’ Arielle simply said before leaving him to go talk with Nieve. 

Quentin looked at her with curiosity. It must be normal for someone with so many siblings to learn boundaries and leave them alone. It was just not a reaction most people have. Even Julia would have pressed him to talk and open his wounded heart. 

\----

Lunk and his brother came that week to help fix the room, solidify a wall and create a sturdy bed for their mattress inside. They even took time to fix the rabbit hut behind the house, where an unkempt garden was growing weeds of all sorts and some food that was plated there by other people. 

Arielle came mid-week to sell her fruits and stayed with the boys, talking and laughing. She even helped with rehousing the golden beetle so they would not be inside the house but still have a proper habitat. Quentin told her to keep all the gold she found while doing it. She said she couldn't as it was more than she could ever own. After some small nudging from Eliot, she accepted some of it. Quentin put more in her fruit basket when she was not looking. 

Hearing fillorians talking about the harvest that was coming, gossip about Whitespire and other mundane talk was quite enjoyable. Not that Quentin will ever tell Eliot, he didn't want him to start bringing people over all the time, but having their chatter in the background and not be expected to engage helped him focus. Like listening to music when studying. Plus, it made the day seem less tense. They didn't fight the whole time the repairs were ongoing. 

It took about nine days to fix everything. It was not perfect, but it was way better than the shabby rotten thing they had arrived in. Now they had two beds; one inside and one outside, a place to wash the dishes they'd bought at the city, a storage closet for the food and a working fireplace, When no one was there, Eliot used magic to bend metal and create a sort of oven where they could cook and bake more easily. 

They still had to wash and relieve themselves outside. But it was a small price to pay. 

After they generously paid Lunk and his brothers, Eliot and Quentin called it a day and put away the piece of paper that was showing the newest pattern they were working on. Maybe now that things were cozier and people were not around, they could go much faster into the puzzle. 

It started to rain, so both men went inside. Quentin let Eliot cook because he was barely a good cook with Earth appliance, he didn't want to try with their almost medieval oven. There was a silence in the room that was natural. None of them felt like they had to fill the silence with useless conversation. This was becoming something between him and Eliot that didn't happen before; there was a serenity between them. They started to know each other, when to talk, when to keep quiet, when to comfort and when to give some space. Things were not complicated with Eliot anymore, which was a first in Quentin's life. 

Well, things were not complicated until they went to bed on the same mattress, and Quentin was falling asleep, hoping he was not waking up with a teenager boner after a wet dream about his best friend. It had happened more than once, and if Eliot had notice, he had the grace not to talk about it. 

This life was not what he expected from a quest, but if he had to spend it with Eliot Waugh, he would not be as bad as it seems. It would be great, in fact.


	4. The Harvest Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arielle bakes bread, Eliot and Quentin drink

Arielle was exhausted. Red Monkey month had been unusually filled with magic this year, and instead of four harvests, they ended up having to do six. Her dads had managed to find people to help them in exchange for a bit of money, but it was still not enough. When the month was over, every place she looked seems filled with peaches and plums. And there was only one harvest that was left before the colder days settle in. But that didn't mean her job was over. In fact, it was the opposite.

She and the girls from her family were expected to cook and bake as many pastries as their small perma-freezing container could handle. As they were one of the rare farms who manage to afford it -thank an exchange of favour with her mother ex-fiancé - they could sell goods that were rare to get during the colder days, which meant more money. Since this investment, the family had managed to secure enough money to pay workers when needed and send the two youngest boys to the right school in Brass City. This was amazing since Elmer; her oldest brother would inherit the farm; the other boys needed to find a way to make themselves useful in the world. The girls were expected to marry well and provide a family, of course.

But her wedding with Lunk was not before the next warm season, and her sister's, Willow, wedding, was before the end of the year. Two out of four settles, that would calm her mother's nerve.

However, all of this was far away, and Arielle, her mother and three sisters still had to make pastries, jams, jars and give Elmer all the uncookable products so he could start doing his juice and wine for the year.

From sunset to sundown, Arielle cooked, clean and baked. She managed to get a few hours of sleep, but with Lunk now gone back to his duty in Whitespire, she didn't feel rested despite everything. She worried about him out there, doing dangerous deeds while guarding the Pickwick family. At least if he were protecting true kings and queens, the honour would be worth the heartache. And with him gone, her walk around the farms for her weekly sales were taking twice as long.

She had a bit of rest when Sandy and Micah got their first baby. A boy who cried so loudly as he came out that hey called him Leo. Everyone had celebrated having a boy as firstborn, and Arielle was allowed to stay for a few days to help the new mother with the duties of the house.

But stopping to work on the farm to help a mother and her baby was not what Arielle called vacation per se. She gritted her teeth and prayed to Ember every night to give her the strength to finish the month in one piece, then the harder work of the years would be done.

"No offence, my dear, but you look like shit."  
Eliot was looking at her with a smirk that meant not to take his comment too much to heart. And yet, deep down, Arielle knew he was right. She even had to speed up her bathing time yesterday because her dads had a big order of jams and fruitcakes for the Harvest Festival, and there was a lot to do and not enough hands in the kitchen. So Arielle just smiled, rolled her eye and went to put their weekly fruits on the small table near them.

"El'!" Quentin scolded, hitting him with the red tile he was holding.  
"Just busy," Arielle answered automatically. "You know, with the harvest festival coming…"  
"Uh… honey, we are not from here, remember," Eliot said, getting up and getting a peach from the table. He threw one at Quentin, who caught it more by reflex than agility. He fumbled with the tile he was holding, blushing. Arielle smiled a bit more.  
"I know, I know. But I am sure the After Island must have crops as well, this isn't a fillorian thing."  
"Ugh, don't tell me the Harvest festival is one of those ends of the year crop celebration."

Eliot lost his smile in front of her for one of the first time she'd remember. She looked at Quentin, who seemed puzzled and yet understanding at the same time. She realized she shouldn't pry.

"So, I gather I should not invite you then?" She asked carefully.

It had been one of her plans of the days. After all, she had the feeling they might not be aware of the time and place of the festival, and it was one of the last days they would see Sandy and Micah before they went to the new farmland they just inherited from Micah's grandfather. It was near the lorian border so that daily hangouts would become impossible. Only pen pals letters and yearly visits. If one of them could manage to get a few days off.

"What's the festival?" asked Quentin rapidly, making sure Eliot bitterness was not souring the conversation.  
"Officially, it's a night of prayers and thanks to Ember and Umber for the harvest, then we share food and celebrate the final harvest of the year. "  
"and Unofficially?"

Arielle laughed at the coy smile Quentin gave her. There was a light in his eyes that seemed to come from within.

"The older people pray and eat. The young folks, those unwed or without children, we drink and get high while looking at the stars. "She said with a wink.

Quentin laughed. Eliot straightens on his chair, visibly interested and listening.

"Some years, we get to see shooting stars dancing in the sky. Usually, it's when we made Ember and Umber happy or if the smell of the feast is big enough. Something like that. I forgot the scripture."

Her mom would be horrified by her admitting that to a client. But she couldn't understand that people her age still read the scripture and prayed to them; it didn't mean that they knew all the words by heart like her generation.

"If you say booze and drugs are there, I am in!" Said Eliot, which surprised Arielle. He had not seemed in the mood.  
"El, we shouldn't…."  
"Come on, Q, it's night. And we need a break. Otherwise, we will look like Arielle over here. And we don't want that."

He poked her side and laugh, which made her laugh and smack his arm playfully. She was starting to understand his strange sense of humour. Derisive yet without malice. Not something she was used to.

"We…" Started Quentin, but Eliot interrupted him.  
"Shouldn't fight in front of people. Not over the mosaic."

Quentin sigh and nodded. This probably had been something they had agreed in private. Arielle felt suddenly like her presence was too much, and she should go. As she was saying her goodbye, Eliot stopped her.

"Forgot your payment," he said, giving her a bag full of pure golden nuggets. "Where is the festival?"  
"In Riverstown." She said, putting the payment in her basket and looking at Quentin, who was back at making the pattern of the mosaic. His tense shoulder and frown brown had everything of a brewing storm. Things would explode when she would leave. She knew. "But if it causes a problem, I don't want…."  
"Quentin and I have different ways of handling the stress and anxiety of The Mosaic. He's more of a double-down on work kind of person. I'm more a let' s-go-to-a-festival-and-get-wasted."

He smiled. She tried to do the same. She felt terrible that she could have brought discord between two lovers. She had simply wanted them to enjoy the area while they were doing their quest. It had been nearly a year since they were here, and if they were to stay, Arielle was hoping for a sort of friendship. At least a better relation than simple merchant-to-client.

"Don't worry. "Eliot said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "When is the festival?"  
"At the end of the week, at sundown."  
"Perfect. We might be there. We might not. It will depend on what we decide."  
"I didn't mean to…"

Eliot stopped her for apologizing by kissing her forehead softly. It surprised her. Even Lunk was not as demonstrative in his act of kindness.

"Don't worry, I say. That's Q's job. He's worried supreme! No better High King of Worry," Elio said loud enough for Quentin to hear. Arielle couldn't help but giggle at the grin Eliot was giving her.  
"You are an asshole." Answered back Quentin  
"It is not like you didn't know before. Now be nice and come to say goodbye."

Five minutes and two fresh plums later, Arielle walked toward the next house, her heart feeling a bit lighter. How did Eliot manage to make her leave without guilt and even a slight dose of happiness, Arielle wasn't sure. Eliot used his words like it was some magic spell. And it worked on her.

\--------------------

Time flew by, and it was finally the Harvest Festival. Everyone was excited to relax and bless the Gods for a plentiful year. Sundown was approaching, and most of the farmers and villagers who were participating were already in Rivertown's square, building a large table for people to gather and eat or using the shop around to do last-minute cooking. One good thing was there were so many people, Arielle didn't have to look after her youngest siblings. They were running around, probably causing mischiefs that were the adults to handle.

She had been working most of the day at her brother's bakery and was now putting on one of the main table fresh bread that made people around cheer with happiness. The smell itself was marvellous, and Arielle knew her skills enough to knew they tasted good as well.

She saw Eliot and Quentin, cups of mead in hand, talking to Albert and Florient near the tavern. She hopes they thought of renting them a room for the night because the walk home can be eventful after a night of festivities. Even for fillorians like her. She grinned, thinking that it had been last year's walk home that brought her and Lunk together.

She waved at Quentin, who noticed her and went back inside the bakery to cook. They needed two more loads, and she will be useful to mingle with people around. She was cutting the bread freshly out of the oven when the music started outside. Good. People would eat less and go dance, which means she might not have to finish the second serving that was slowly rising in the bakery's oven.

The door of the shop open and Arielle expected to see her brother who was coming to check up on her; he had been eating and talking with the other shop owners outside during the central part of the festival, which was okay if he wanted his bakery to grow even more. Apparently, the tavern was thinking of including his cheesy loaves in their menu.

But it was not Hansel. It was Quentin. A smile on his face and a plate of food in his hand.

"Hi!" She greeted, putting down her knife and walking toward him, "If you want to use the bakery's bathroom sadly, it's close for tonight."

She felt like a Lorian Repeating Sparrow saying the same sentence over and over. But it was her brother's rule, and she had to make sure it was respected.

"What? "Quentin asked. "Oh, no! It's alright. I just...notice that you didn't come out to eat yet. And most of the good things are disappearing, so I made you a plate."

He showed the plate that was full of different food and smell that made her stomach grumble. She blushes, really touched by the gesture, and took the plate.

"I… thank you. This is remarkably thoughtful," She said, taken aback.

Quentin shrugged like it was not significant, but she saw his cheeks change colour slightly.

"You are missing all the festivities! "He said, "Are you coming out soon?"  
"Yes, just need to cut this and finish the last round of baking. "She said, sitting down behind the counter where she started to eat, the plate on her knee. "Oh, Ember's balls this… alright, I think I was hungrier than I thought I was."

Quentin laughed and leaned against the counter in front of her. His skin was worn by the sun, and we could see his hands were those of someone who worked all day outside. His eyes were looking at her with kindness and a slight blur that could only be because of the mead they were serving out.

"You should go dance! I am sure Eliot is the kind of guy who only stops when the music's over."

Quentin laughed and nodded in a snort that said more than it should. Arielle laughed. She liked to see his eyes sparkle when they were talking about Eliot.

"He is, but I am not. I am kind of avoiding the pressure of everyone." He said.  
"Ah!" she exclaims. "So it was not for me that you brought food, it was for you."  
"Little bit of both."

Arielle laughed with him. She could not understand why Lunk didn't like him. He had been polite in front of the two boys, but her fiance had a bad feeling about the quester and kept saying to Arielle that they should try to avoid any kind of bonding with them. That they were bad news. Was it his trained soldier eyes that had seen something she had not during the week he worked on the house? Or was it jealousy? Lunk was possessive but not jealous usually, so she was not sure.

And yet, she could not think that Quentin was a bad person. He had just ignored her protest and finished cutting the bread she was working on, telling her she needed to eat. He cut every loaf and put them in the basket to bring outside.

"You are daring to go outside again?" She gasped mockingly.  
"The things I do for friends." He laughed.

She beamed, happiness blossoming in her heart, knowing that he called her a friend. He smiled back and walked outside to deliver what she should have done. It was hard not to feel guilty that he was doing her work. But stopping and finally eating for a minute was somewhat needed. With the stress of the last few days and the months of work, she was not even sure if she wanted to go to the festivities after. The idea of going to her brother's house and sleep right away was quite tempting.

_Of course, we are keeping you busy!_ Her mother had said _Next year, you will be married by this time and you have to start to learn what a woman must do in the house while the men are working. Cooking and cleaning are great, but you have to be better at managing a home and accept that the time to sit down and talk about everything and nothing with your friend is soon to be over. Married women do not have time to do frivolous things. And let's not talk about when you will get kids!..._

Arielle loved her mother. A lot. But it felt like she was robbing her of the last year where she could still be a silly girl who dances around the fire, drink and laugh with her friend. She knew she needed to learn how to be a good wife, but did it meant not having a life anymore? She knew she was not the only woman working around the ovens of a shop tonight. She was probably the only one complaining about it, though.

Quentin didn't come back. Which meant he either had been kidnapped by Eliot and was dancing or had found other people who talk to. People who were probably more lively and in a festive mood.

Tired, she decided she had cooked enough. She waited for the bread to finish baking and took it out of the oven, setting them ready to be sold tomorrow. But she would not bring them outside. From what she had eaten on her plate, everyone had plenty to eat already.

As she was cleaning, she noticed the mug full of mead on the counter. Quentin probably had brought it to her, and she did not even see. Oh, Umber's beard, she didn't even thank him!

Promising herself to do so next time she saw him, she grabbed the mug and drank the whole thing in one gulp. The alcohol burned her throat, and she didn't even taste any of it. But the idea of drowning the pain was quite welcomed at the moment. She put the mug in the large tub of cooking gear she needed to wash and sigh. Maybe going to the stream will be easier than trying to do it inside.

Not even bothering to remove her apron or fix her hair - damn what people said later! - she lifted it and walked toward the river, whom the city was named after.

There was a place between sadness, exhaustion, anxiety and anger that can only coexist together without imploding. Arielle felt she was walking it lately. She had nor the time or the energy to stop everything and take a moment for herself. Because if she did, she would cry for Lunk's departure, she would sleep for days; she would be eaten the anxiety of all the responsibility she had to take as she was becoming a wife soon. She would yell until the Gods would hear her. She was praying that all of her feelings would go away, and she could just be herself. The one she wanted to be. Not the one he had to become.

The thing was heavy, but you are not a farmer's daughter if you have not some muscle in your arm. Once near the stream, she sat down and look at the water for a moment. The moons were reflecting upon it, and the sounds and lights of the festivities were close enough for her to hear and feel them without having to engage. Having worked all day, her feet were killing her, and she removed her shoe and put them in the cold water. The freshness against her skin made her shiver a bit but reanimated her tired mind.

Right, she needed to clean the dishes. After a sigh, she moves slightly to be able to keep her feet wet while working and started to scrub. One of her favourite songs was playing, and she was humming the air at the same time people were signing.

"Arielle," she heard her name and felt someone sitting down next to her after a few second She turned and saw Quentin next to her. His eyes were filled with emotion she hated he had because of her. He was not smiling, and it was her fault.' Why are you here alone? Are you alright?" He then asks in a whisper that shook her soul. It was so much easier to push around and pretend. But this was not polite conversation. This was something new.

Arielle stopped to scrub the bowl she was working on and put it next to her. She opened her mouth and started to cry. Within seconds she felt enveloped by Quentin's reassuring arm. He was holding her so hard her head touched his shoulder. It was like he was trying to send her a soothing warmth on her soul.

So she cried. A long time. At least longer than she wanted to.

And he simply held her. In silence. No questions or the false promise of better days. No problem solving or burst of energy. This was quiet; this was peaceful. It was not asking to stop or tried to calm down. It was as long as she needed

So she cried. A long time. At least longer

**Author's Note:**

> Don't forget to kudo and comments!


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